The U.S. Army’s Spirit of America is coming to Grand Rapids for the first time ever to pay tribute to the sacrifices and triumphs of the American Soldier.  Grand Rapids will have the opportunity to celebrate the spirit, strength and history of our nation with more than 300 Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington. 

This FREE, live-action, patriotic show is like no other as it tells the history of America through the eyes of the American Soldier.  While the show is FREE, tickets are needed and can be obtained early by contacting Van Andel Arena. 

Watch as Soldiers bring history to life with this year’s Spirit of America performance.  Told by today’s Soldiers, Spirit of America captures the true stories of those who have answered the call to duty for our nation. 

During the show, Soldiers in period uniforms reenact key moments in the U.S. Army and American history.  The reenactments include battle scenes with short periods of simulated gunfire, and performances by the Army’s elite ceremonial units. 

The show features the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army.  Elements of The Old Guard include The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the Caisson Platoon, the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, the Continental Color Guard and the U.S. Army Drill Team. 

Note: The show scheduled for Friday, Sept. 24 at 10:30AM is officially sold out. Also, doors open 90 minutes prior to showtime for all shows EXCEPT the show sceduled for Saturday, Sept. 25th at 7:30PM. Please take note that doors open only 60 minutes prior to showtime for the Saturday evening show.

To obtain tickets:
-Fill out the ticket order form and mail it in.
-Visit the Van Andel Arena Box Office in person during normal Box Office hours.
-Order through Ticketmaster.com for a nominal fee.
-Groups of 10 or more, please call 616-742-6366 to request tickets.
-For accessible seating, please call 616-742-6600. 


For more information about the show, visit:  www.soa.mdw.army.mil. 
Professional cameras, flash, detachable lenses, long lenses, video cameras, recording equipment, and laser  pointers are not permitted.